DVLA Drivers Licenses

I hope you all read the Daily Mail recently about Drivers Licences. I guess you are probably all aware that the photo style plastic licences are only valid for TEN years from date of issue. This is because over that period of time the photo may no longer be an accurate likeness of the holder, consequently its replacement is required by law. How do I know when it is expired? On the photo cards are two dates, 4a which is the valid from and 4b which is the expiry date. If you go past the expiry date you are no longer licensed to drive motorised vehicles until you renew the licence with an up to date photograph. The DVLA will normally send you a reminder which you must act on immediately but don’t rely on them, it is your responsibility to ensure your licence is up to date and valid. What happens if you forget – this is where things get serious – a/ you are not licensed to drive any vehicle b/ you can be fined £1000 and c/ your insurance could also be invalid. So check your licence today and all of those that drive any of your cars. Remember if you let an unlicensed (expired licence) person drive your cars you are responsible for allowing it to happen and consequently will be liable to a very serious penalty for allowing an unlicensed driver and possibly an uninsured vehicle on the public highway. CHECK TODAY.

Some will say “none of this applies to me, I still have the old green paper licence”! It soon will as these old licences are being phased out by 2015 and everyone must have the photo licence.

Very interesting facts from a survey conducted by LV the insurance group is that more than two million motorists are driving with an expired licence, that is one in seven drivers who did not know about the ten year validity. One in six taking part in the survey had no idea when their licence expires and one in twelve have never renewed their photo. CHECK TODAY

Since 2010 the police have caught approximately 734,000 drivers with expired licences and fines totalling £41 million have been paid. CHECK TODAY

Please pass this on to everyone you know in the wedding car industry. We can’t afford anyone to get caught out it would reflect very badly on all of us. GET THEM TO CHECK TODAY.